Justin Gaethje delivered a stunning upset at UFC Freedom 250, defeating Ilia Topuria on the South Lawn of the White House to become the undisputed lightweight champion.
In what will go down as one of the most memorable lightweight title fights in UFC history, Gaethje survived four punishing rounds against the previously unbeaten Topuria before the contest was stopped. By the end, Topuria was left bloodied and battered, and Gaethje had secured one of the most dramatic victories the sport has seen.
Few gave the 37-year-old much of a chance heading into the bout. Written off by many before the opening bell, Gaethje instead left Washington with the division’s top prize in a result that reshaped the lightweight landscape.
The setting only added to the spectacle. Staged before a celebrity-filled crowd at the White House, the event also coincided with Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, creating a backdrop that made the championship clash feel even more historic.
The action matched the occasion from the start. Gaethje opened aggressively and quickly found a home for a sharp uppercut in the clinch, a shot that appeared to trouble Topuria early.
Topuria, though, began to settle as the first round progressed. The champion responded with a fierce flurry in the closing seconds, a sequence that hinted he might still take control in the way many had expected.
American star Justin Gaethje shocked the world and defeated Ilia Topuria at the White House
Topuria, who was previously undefeated, was stunned by the American at UFC Freedom 250
Topuria had been on top in the second round but Gaethje battled back to make history
The fight was held in front of a star-studded crowd at the White House, including Trump
The second round certainly belonged to Topuria, who went to the body with devastating effect, landing huge shots that sent Gaethje crashing to the canvas.
The champion hunted for the submission, but Gaethje’s defence was extraordinary, surviving the round at a pace that had left men breathless.
Then came the third round and the moment that changed everything.
Gaethje landed a thunderous right hand that sent Topuria to the canvas, leaving the champion bloodied and battered in a way nobody had ever seen before.
At the end of the round, the doctor was called in. It seemed for a moment that it was over, but Topuria protested furiously and was allowed to continue.
Quite how he was still standing in the fourth is a question that may never be fully answered. The two men continued to trade enormous shots, Topuria landing a takedown and appearing briefly to seize control – before Gaethje fought his way back to his feet to the delight of the crowd. It was the last act of a remarkable fight.
Topuria’s corner called it off at the end of the round, and Gaethje had done it.
Topuria had come in undefeated and an overwhelming favourite, a two-division champion who had promised to end it inside the first round. Instead, it was Gaethje who left Washington with the belt. Sport rarely produces nights like this.
37-year-old Gaethje defied the odds as he defeated the previously unbeaten Topuria
Gaethje was seen speaking with Trump inside the octagon after his stunning win over Topuria
Topuria was battered and bruised when the fight eventually came to an end in the fourth
Gaethje sent Topuria crashing down to the canvas with a huge shot in the third round
Earlier in the night, Ciryl Gane stunned the world after defeating Brazilian star Alex Pereira
The Frenchman put an end to Pereira’s hopes of becoming a three-weight world champion
Gane was seen chatting with Trump after defeating ‘Poatan’ in front of the White House crowd
Pereira was left with a nasty cut under his eye after a dominant performance from Gane
Earlier in the evening, Ciryl Gane produced another huge upset, knocking out Alex Pereira in the second round to claim the interim UFC heavyweight title.
Gane was the aggressor from the opening bell, landing good shots throughout a measured first round as Pereira appeared to ease himself into the contest.
A combination from the Brazilian late in the round offered the first sign that Pereira was beginning to find his range, after a fairly lacklustre opening five minutes.
However, it never came to anything. Gane came out in the second and never let Pereira settle, his pressure relentless and his punch volume overwhelming.
The killer blow came in the form of a brutal right jab that connected flush with Pereira’s chin. After a further barrage, referee Herb Dean had seen enough.
It was a performance that denied Pereira an unprecedented third divisional title and sets up a rematch with Tom Aspinall for the undisputed heavyweight title.
For Gane, long considered one of the division’s nearly-men, this changes everything.
The night opened with a brilliant back-and-forth contest between Diego Lopes and Garcia, which swung decisively in the closing stages of round two when Lopes caught his opponent with a brilliant left hook that sent him crashing to the canvas.
Thousands of fans packed in to the custom-built arena on the White House’s grounds
Trump and his family had front row seats to the bloodbath on the South Lawn on Sunday
Earlier in the night, Sean O’Malley put in a vintage performance to earn a win
Controversial star Josh Hokit also scored a victory after defeating veteran Derrick Lewis
It was the kind of finish that set the tone for everything that followed – a night at UFC Freedom 250 that, from first fight to last, refused to disappoint.
Sean O’Malley provided one of the night’s most memorable moments in the final fight before the main card, scoring a walk-off knockout against Aiemann Zahabi before turning to salute the crowd.
It was a performance that will do nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of a fanbase that is already firmly in his corner.
Josh Hokit, one of the UFC’s most divisive figures, was utterly ruthless in dispatching Derrick Lewis, decimating his American rival inside the octagon in a contest that Lewis, frankly, never appeared fully committed to.
Elsewhere, Mauricio Ruffy put on a masterclass against Michael Chandler, producing the kind of performance that suggested he could soon earn himself a title shot. Chandler was given no room to breathe and no route back into the fight.
Bo Nickal was similarly dominant over Kyle Daukaus, controlling the bout on the ground before finishing with a knockout that underlined just how far he has come.
He made sure to give a shoutout to the birthday boy in his post-fight interview, much to the delight of the crowd.
